THE NIGHTINGALE [1]
it cannot contain a falsehood. I will hear the
nightingale, she must be here this evening; she has my highest
favor; and if she does not come, the whole court shall be trampled
upon after supper is ended."
"Tsing-pe!" cried the lord-in-waiting, and again he ran up and
down stairs, through all the halls and corridors; and half the court
ran with him, for they did not like the idea of being trampled upon.
There was a great inquiry about this wonderful nightingale, whom all
the world knew, but who was unknown to the court.
At last they met with a poor little girl in the kitchen, who said,
"Oh, yes, I know the nightingale quite well; indeed, she can sing.
Every evening I have permission to take home to my poor sick mother
the scraps from the table; she lives down by the sea-shore, and as I
come back I feel tired, and I sit down in the wood to rest, and listen
to the nightingale's song. Then the tears come into my eyes, and it is
just as if my mother kissed me."
"Little maiden," said the lord-in-waiting, "I will obtain for
you constant employment in the kitchen, and you shall have
permission to see the emperor dine, if you will lead us to the
nightingale; for she is invited for this evening to the palace." So
she went into the wood where the nightingale sang, and half the
court followed her. As they went along, a cow began lowing.
"Oh," said a young courtier, "now we have found her; what
wonderful power for such a small creature; I have certainly heard it
before."
"No, that is only a cow lowing," said the little girl; "we are a
long way from the place yet."
Then some frogs began to croak in the marsh.
"Beautiful," said the young courtier again. "Now I hear it,
tinkling like little church bells."
"No, those are frogs," said the little maiden; "but I think we
shall soon hear her now:" and presently the nightingale began to sing.
"Hark, hark! there she is," said the girl, "and there she sits,"
she added, pointing to a little gray bird who was perched on a bough.
"Is it possible?" said the lord-in-waiting, "I never imagined it
would be a little, plain, simple thing like that. She has certainly
changed color at seeing so many grand people around her."
"Little nightingale," cried the girl, raising her voice, "our most
gracious emperor wishes you to sing before him."
"With the greatest pleasure," said the nightingale, and began to
sing most delightfully.
"It sounds like tiny glass bells," said the lord-in-waiting,
"and see how her little throat works. It is surprising that we have
never heard this before; she will be a great success at court."
"Shall I sing once more before the emperor?" asked the
nightingale, who thought he was present.
"My excellent little nightingale," said the courtier, "I have
the great pleasure of inviting you to a court festival this evening,
where you will gain imperial favor by your charming song."
"My song sounds best in the green wood," said the bird; but
still she came willingly when she heard the emperor's wish.
The palace was elegantly decorated for the occasion. The walls and
floors of porcelain glittered in the light of a thousand lamps.
Beautiful flowers, round which little bells were tied, stood in the
corridors: what with the running to and fro and the draught, these
bells tinkled so loudly that no one could speak to be heard. In the
centre of the great hall, a golden perch had been fixed for the
nightingale to sit on. The whole court was present, and the little
kitchen-maid had received permission to stand by the door. She was not
installed as a real court cook. All were in full dress, and every
eye was turned to the little gray bird when the emperor nodded to
her to begin. The nightingale sang so sweetly that the tears came into
the emperor's eyes, and then rolled down his cheeks, as her song
became still more touching and went to every one's heart. The
emperor was so delighted that he declared the nightingale
nightingale, she must be here this evening; she has my highest
favor; and if she does not come, the whole court shall be trampled
upon after supper is ended."
"Tsing-pe!" cried the lord-in-waiting, and again he ran up and
down stairs, through all the halls and corridors; and half the court
ran with him, for they did not like the idea of being trampled upon.
There was a great inquiry about this wonderful nightingale, whom all
the world knew, but who was unknown to the court.
At last they met with a poor little girl in the kitchen, who said,
"Oh, yes, I know the nightingale quite well; indeed, she can sing.
Every evening I have permission to take home to my poor sick mother
the scraps from the table; she lives down by the sea-shore, and as I
come back I feel tired, and I sit down in the wood to rest, and listen
to the nightingale's song. Then the tears come into my eyes, and it is
just as if my mother kissed me."
"Little maiden," said the lord-in-waiting, "I will obtain for
you constant employment in the kitchen, and you shall have
permission to see the emperor dine, if you will lead us to the
nightingale; for she is invited for this evening to the palace." So
she went into the wood where the nightingale sang, and half the
court followed her. As they went along, a cow began lowing.
"Oh," said a young courtier, "now we have found her; what
wonderful power for such a small creature; I have certainly heard it
before."
"No, that is only a cow lowing," said the little girl; "we are a
long way from the place yet."
Then some frogs began to croak in the marsh.
"Beautiful," said the young courtier again. "Now I hear it,
tinkling like little church bells."
"No, those are frogs," said the little maiden; "but I think we
shall soon hear her now:" and presently the nightingale began to sing.
"Hark, hark! there she is," said the girl, "and there she sits,"
she added, pointing to a little gray bird who was perched on a bough.
"Is it possible?" said the lord-in-waiting, "I never imagined it
would be a little, plain, simple thing like that. She has certainly
changed color at seeing so many grand people around her."
"Little nightingale," cried the girl, raising her voice, "our most
gracious emperor wishes you to sing before him."
"With the greatest pleasure," said the nightingale, and began to
sing most delightfully.
"It sounds like tiny glass bells," said the lord-in-waiting,
"and see how her little throat works. It is surprising that we have
never heard this before; she will be a great success at court."
"Shall I sing once more before the emperor?" asked the
nightingale, who thought he was present.
"My excellent little nightingale," said the courtier, "I have
the great pleasure of inviting you to a court festival this evening,
where you will gain imperial favor by your charming song."
"My song sounds best in the green wood," said the bird; but
still she came willingly when she heard the emperor's wish.
The palace was elegantly decorated for the occasion. The walls and
floors of porcelain glittered in the light of a thousand lamps.
Beautiful flowers, round which little bells were tied, stood in the
corridors: what with the running to and fro and the draught, these
bells tinkled so loudly that no one could speak to be heard. In the
centre of the great hall, a golden perch had been fixed for the
nightingale to sit on. The whole court was present, and the little
kitchen-maid had received permission to stand by the door. She was not
installed as a real court cook. All were in full dress, and every
eye was turned to the little gray bird when the emperor nodded to
her to begin. The nightingale sang so sweetly that the tears came into
the emperor's eyes, and then rolled down his cheeks, as her song
became still more touching and went to every one's heart. The
emperor was so delighted that he declared the nightingale